bush once described these faceoffs as "tension city." and the pressure will be on tonight because the race is close and the election just three weeks away. the obama campaign says the president will be more energetic than in the first debate. that debate changed the dynamic of the race. the format tonight has its roots in a democratic institution that dates back to colonial america: the new england town meeting. the candidates will be surrounded by 82 uncommitted new york voters chosen at random. some of whom will be asking their own questions. this is the last debate to include the economy. next week it's all foreign policy. the moderator tonight is candy crowley of cnn. >> crowley: good evening from hofstra university in hempstead, new york, i'm candy crowley from cnn's "state of the union." here here for the second presidential debate, a town hall sponsored by the commission on presidential debates. the gallup organization chose 82 uncommitted voters from the new york area. their questions will drive the night. my goal is to give the